Letters & Opinion

Sorry Night For Independents

INDEPENDENT candidates and the minority Lucian People’s Movement received a scolding from voters in Monday’s general elections.

Of special mention is Jeanine Compton – Antoine, daughter of the late Prime Minister Sir John Compton. She entered elective politics after the death of her father in 2007 in a bye election winning the seat he had held in parliament for most of his political life.

It was not long after joining the ruling UWP in parliament that she crossed swords with her party, over claims of being unfairly treated. Dissatisfied with the UWP at the time she quit their ranks and soldiered on as an Independent.

But not even her popularity as a Compton, running in the constituency of her father was enough for her to win that seat in the 2011 general elections. She amassed a healthy total of 1293 votes, but this was not enough to return her to parliament.

But JeanineCompton-Antoine was not discouraged. She held hope that the people who were once loyal to her father in the ballot boxes would reciprocate that loyalty to his off-spring. On Monday the people spoke loudly, loud enough for her to hear, it is hoped. She received 506 votes less than she did in 2011.

Another story of complete rejection by the people is in the camp of the Lucian People’s Movement (LPM).

Therold Prudent, the party’s leader has been making a name for himself in the Gros Islet constituency where he is based. He is well known in the constituency, where he grew up. His party made strong public appearances in the country in 2011 and at one time successfully held a national public meeting in the William Peter Boulevard in Castries where the turnout was more than encouraging.

There was no doubt that the LPM was building momentum in the country as the new party on the political block. But the enthusiasm shared by Prudent and the party founders did not resonate with the people and on voting day in 2011 Prudent received a mere 64 votes.

But he was not discouraged. Encouraged by the feedback received from residents of that constituency, Prudent persevered, deciding in 2016 to carry the LPM torch alone with a focus on the Gros Islet constituency. He began his work early and by the end of 2015 was jubilantly proclaiming that he would be the winner should general elections be called anytime.

He went into Monday’s elections with that same optimism that at last, the LPM would make its mark in local politics. Prudent’s dreams however vanished when it was revealed that instead of the proud moment he was looking forward to, he received a severe mauling with only 152 votes .

Timothy James, the Independent candidate for Castries Central received 12 votes, Simon Gajadhar who via an email to the electoral department announced he was withdrawing from the election race, just four days after nomination day, could not get the department to remove his name from the ballot paper. And so it turned out that on voting day his name and photo appeared as a candidate for Soufriere. He received three votes.

McDonald Alexander, an Independent candidate for Micoud North received four votes, while Caleb Celestine, Independent for Dennery South received seven, completing the sorry story of the Independent runners in Election 2016.

Micah George is an established name in the journalism landscape in St. Lucia. He started his journalism tutelage under the critical eye of the Star Newspaper Publisher and well known journalist, Rick Wayne, as a freelancer. A few months later he moved to the Voice Newspaper under the guidance of the paper’s recognized editor, Guy Ellis in 1988.

Since then he has remained with the Voice Newspaper, progressing from a cub reporter covering court cases and the police to a senior journalist with a focus on parliamentary issues, government and politics. Read full bio...

9 Comments

  1. /

    How can you write this article and not give us the ultimate news: “Ki moun ki ped deposit yo” you know that is the badge of humiliation, lol

    /

  2. He does this every election. Why? Makes you feel good? Be courageous independent, the race is not fro the swift but those who have the country at heart. Take a bow if you are among that class

    1. Kensley,

      why did I get the impression you were going to run for elected office, and so I searched for you, but alas, in vain? what happened?

      1. I got caught in the same ambush election that Kenny got himself trapped in. He that sets a trap shall fall in it. The Sabbath nomination kept me out.

  3. KENSLEY I JUST READ WHERE U ARE MAKING A PLEA 4 THE ARTS MINISTRY !!!!

    TELL ME MY FRIEND Y U DID NOT RUN THIS YEAR?
    U AND ALLEN TRAMP WILL MAKE GOOD BED-FELLOWS . LOL.

    1. There is no Arts Ministry. I was proposing for one to be established. “A society without the arts is a cultural dessert.”

  4. DR. AL-AMEEN

    Lucians have brought the ultimate disgrace upon their little Black Children, by electing Tarzan Jane and Boy to be their masters. Allen and his Backers Michael are the most insidious liars, and this mentally challenged Allen Chastanet, who doesn’t know how to read First Primer, will ruin this country even as they scramble to come up with schemes to put black people in concentration camps.

    Just be patient! the self-hating Negroes who placed the Allen Chastanet oligarchs to rule over them, will be disgraced and soon run out of town within the next year, when they awake to the nightmare of Tarzan Jane and Boy.

    Kenny Anthony was the best of Prime Minsters, and these Negroes and Negresses will soon see the reality.

  5. SON OF MAN.
    MAY ALLAH BE PLEASE WITH YOU
    IN THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE IT IS SAID IN THE BOOK OF EXODUS CHAPTER 16 : 1—-36
    I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT CHAPTER 2, 3, 4,

    2. AND the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against MOSES and AARON in the wilderness.
    3. AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SAID UNTO THEM WOULD TO GOD WE HAD DIED BY THE HANDS OF THE LORD IN THE LAND OF EGYPT WHEN WE SAT BY THE FLESH POTS AND WHEN WE DID EAT BREAD TO THE FULL FOR YE HAVE BROUGHT US FORTH INTO THIS WILDERNESS TO KILL THIS WHOLE ASSEMBLY WITH HUNGER.
    4. THEN SAID THE LORD UNTO MOSES BEHOLD I WILL RAIN BREAD FROM HEAVEN FOR YOU AND THE PEOPLE SHALL GO OUT AND GATHER A CERTAIN RATE EVERY DAY THAT I MAY PROVE THEM WHETHER THEY WILL WALK IN MY LAW OR NOT.

    CHAPTER 17 . 2, 3,
    2 WHEREFORE THE PEOPLE DID CHIDE WITH MOSES AND SAID GIVE US WATER THAT WE MAY DRINK AND MOSES SAID UNTO THEM WHY CHIDE YE WITH ME? WHEREFORE DO YOU TEMP THE LORD.
    3. AND THE PEOPLE THIRSTED THERE FOR WATER AND THE PEOPLE MURMURED AGAINST MOSES AND SAID WHEREFORE IS THIS THAT THOU HAST BROUGHT US UP OUT OF EGYPT TO KILL US AND OUR CHILDREN AND OUR CATTLE WITH THIRST.

    DEUTERONOMY
    CHAPTER 17: 14, 15,
    14 WHEN THOU ART COME UNTO THE LAND WHICH THE LORD THY GOD GIVETH THEE AND SHALT POSSESS IT AND SHALT DWELL THEREIN AND SHALT SAY I WILL SET A KING OVER ME LIKE AS ALL THE NATIONS THAT ARE ABOUT ME.
    15 THOU SHALT IN ANY WISE SET HIM KING OVER THEE WHOM THE LORD THY GOD SHALL CHOOSE ONE FROM AMONG THY BRETHREN SHALT THOU SET KING OVER THEE THOU MAYEST NOT SET A STRANGER OVER THEE WHICH IS NOT THY BROTHER.

    ALLEN TRUMP IS A F***** FRENCH MAN BORN IN MARTINIQUE.
    KENNY DELIVER THOSE LUCIAN’S COONS FROM BONDAGE UNDER JOHN COMPTON AND THAT LOW-LIFE FOOL AZZZZKISSER KING PULLING LUCIANS FROM THE LAND OF THE DOWNTRODDEN AND UPLIFTING THEM TO A VERY HIGH STRANDED OF LIVING. BUT NO NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR THOSE BOUGHT OUT COONS THEY LOVE THEIR MASSA .
    PLE TADE PLE TWIS.

    KENNY DID MUCH MORE FOR LUCIAN’S THAN MOSES DID FOR THOSE SO-CALL ISRAELIS.

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